Contents

PRESS RELEASE

Today the EU Council stroke down the basic rights of the EU citizens by passing a version of the telecom package where two important amendments passed by the Parliament have been taken out.

These two amendments were passed by the EU Parliament, and are strictly needed after the copyright lobby hijacked the telecom package to make it possible to block contents and cut people off the internet without judicial overview.

What the content lobby want is to be able to censor content they don't like, and to cut people off the net. And they want to do it without having to bother with courts that may want to see evidence of the need to do so. The telecom package, as passed by the Council without these two amendments allow exactly that.

<<< You might think that legislation like this is controversial, and needs discussion. But no: This was passed by the Council without any discussion, or even a vote. >>>

Amendment 166 (amending Directive 2002/22/EC)

Article 32a ACCESS TO CONTENT, SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS

Member States shall ensure that any restrictions to users' rights to
access content, services and applications, if they are necessary,
shall be implemented by appropriate measures, in accordance with the
principles of proportionality, effectiveness and dissuasiveness.
These measures shall not have the effect of hindering the development
of the information society, in compliance with the Directive
2000/31/EC, and shall not conflict with citizens' fundamental rights,
including the right to privacy and the right to due process.

Amendment 138 (amending Directive 2002/21/EC Article 8 – paragraph 4)

(ea) In paragraph 4, point (ga) is added:

"(ga) applying the principle that no restriction may be imposed on
the rights and freedoms of end-users, notably in accordance with
Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
on freedom of expression and information, without a prior ruling by
the judicial authorities, except where dictated by force majeure or
by the requirements of preserving network integrity and security, and
subject to national provisions of criminal law imposed for reasons of
public policy, public security or public morality."